Saturday, December 11, 2010

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Netflix made big news recently, when it announced that it would offer a streaming-only plan in the United States. As Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix, said in a press release, “We are now primarily a streaming video company delivering a wide selection of TV shows and films over the Internet.”

What he didn’t mention is that consumers who prefer to stream their content will learn that just as with cellphones, they’ll often have to sacrifice quality to get convenience.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

With China’s debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of scholars study human behavior. Every day, a few of their studies are bundled and distributed via e-mail by Kevin Lewis, who covers the social sciences for The Boston Globe and National Affairs. And every day, I file away these studies because I find them bizarrely interesting.

It’s true. That very British-sounding St. Ives conundrum (the one where the seven wives each have seven sacks containing seven cats who each have seven kits, and you have to figure out how many are going to St. Ives) has a decidedly archaic antecedent.

By the age of 21, the typical American has spent 10,000 hours playing computer games, and endured a smaller but much drearier chunk of time listening to sermons about this sinful habit. Why, the experts wail, are so many people wasting their lives solving meaningless puzzles in virtual worlds?

Monday, December 6, 2010

Only 17 percent of US employers allow pets, even though researchers find that dogs make employees happier, more productive, and encourage teamwork. Plus, having your Pekinese or chocolate Lab begging for a walk is a perfect way to break up a routine workday. Here are five top dog-friendly companies:

Facing a rising tide of joblessness, the governor of Kentucky has found one solution: build an ark.

The state has promised generous tax incentives to a group of entrepreneurs who plan to construct a full-size replica of Noah’s ark, load it with animals and actors, and make it the centerpiece of a Bible-based tourist attraction called Ark Encounter.

The venture, now rolling out across the Web with hundreds of thousands of popular titles for sale and millions more free, will compete for a slice of the digital books business, which is valued at close to $1 billion and is expected to grow in the coming years.

Segway LLC manufactures electronically propelled two-wheeled devices designed to transport one person with a maximum speed of less than 20 mph. In most states, Segways must follow the rules pertaining to pedestrians while on roads and sidewalks, such as traveling on the left side of the road, facing traffic.

Children represent 25 percent of the population. Yet, they comprise 36 percent of all people in poverty. Among children, 42 percent live in low-income families and approximately one in every five live in poor families. Winding up in a low-income or poor family does not happen by chance. There are significant factors related to children’s experiences with economic insecurity, such as race/ethnicity and parents’ education and employment. This fact sheet describes the demographic, socio-economic, and geographic characteristics of children and their parents – highlighting the important factors that appear to distinguish low-income and poor children from their less disadvantaged counterparts.

(Reuters Health) - Men tend to behave better when they're married - both because marriage likely helps improve their behavior, and nicer men are more likely to be married in the first place, a new study reports.

As the all-too-familiar number flashed on his cellphone shortly before 9 p.m., Dan Landri-gan reflexively braced himself for bad news. The caller was one of the doctors treating his wife, Donna, who had been in a coma for four months. "She sounded pretty choked up," Landrigan recalled.

(Reuters) - Thieves in Britain are using Google Earth to target lead roofs on Church of England buildings to sell on the lucrative metals market, a Church spokesman said.

About 8,000 churches have made insurance claims for lead theft worth about 23 million pounds during the past three years, the Church's estate commissioner Tony Baldry said during a debate in Westminster Hall.

About This Site

Approximately 3-6 items get posted every day. Subjects range across the spectrum. Items are taken from the best sources including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, private sources and government publications. Click on the title for the full article. All items are stand alone so feel to read one or several any time you wish.

About Me

I have a B.A. in Political Science and a Master's Degree in Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Brigham Young University. In addition, I have a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Affairs from Virginia Tech. I just finished up another Master's degree. This one is in Library Science (M.L.S.) from Emporia State University in Kansas.
In my public administration studies I emphasized administrative ethics and administrative law. In library school I emphasized reference, especially using government documents and legal materials.